High-pressure steam kiln



Jap. 22, 1952 c. E. AHLBORN 2,583,073

HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM KILN Filed Nov. 29, 1947 3 ShGGtFr-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYJan. 22, 1952 c, QL 2,583,073

HIGHFRESSURE STEAM KILN Filed Ndv. 29, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY IJNVEN R.

Jan. 22, 1952 c. E. AHLBORN 2,583,073

HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM KILN Filed Nov. 29, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENZ'OR.

M ME? A rog/wa Patented Jan. 22, 1952 Clarence E. Ahlborn, Sa Jackson &Church ginaw, Mich, assignor to mpany, Saginaw, Mich.

I Application November 29, 1947, Serial No. 788,809

. 3 Claims. v1

This invention relates to high pressure steam kilns and the like forcuring molded cement products, and more particularly to the closure doorand the means for operation thereof.

One of the prime objects of the invention is .to design a high pressurekiln, by ,means of which blocks and similar products may be cured andready for use within twenty-four hours after they have been molded.

Another object is to design a high pressure kiln provided with a quickopening, hinge-type door which is rotatably and revolvably mounted,which can be easily and quickly swung to open and/or closed position,and which can be readily and tightly locked in closed position.

A further object of the invention is to design a door closing mechanismincluding a hinge bracket on which the door is hung, and on which saiddoor is freely revolvable and universal in its adaptability to fitevenly at all points in its closed position. I

Still a further object is to provide hydraulically actuated means forrotating the door to locked and /or unlocked position, and provide stopsfor limiting the rotative movement of the door when it is being rotatedto locked position.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsin the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minordetails of construction, without departing from the spirit, orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view of my high pressure kilnshowing the door in locked position. 1

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, end-elevational view of the door showing it inlocked position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, end-elevational view of the door showing itshifted to unlocked position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view of the structure shown inFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view illustrating the doorbracket and associated parts.

Fig. 6 is a transverse-sectional view through the kiln showing the cartracks.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, plan view showing the door swung to openposition.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the sealing gasket.

The high pressure steam kiln herein illustrated is so designed that highpressure steam is circulated therethrough to materially reduce thecuring period of the cement blocks placed therein,

so that much quicker deliveries may be made, stock piles reduced, spaceconserved, and insure the; delivery of shrink-proof, uniformly curedconcrete products within twenty-four hours after they have been molded.

The kiln I0 is preferably cylindrical in shape; it can be mounted onpiers or supports I I, and is of considerable length to accommodate anumber of cars or trucks (not shown), and on which the green moldedblocks or other products are loaded, so that they may be readily rolledinto and out of kiln structure, and tracks I2 are provided in the kilnto accommodate said cars or trucks in the conventional manner.

One end of this kiln I0 is open as shown; and a door frame I 3 is weldedor otherwise secured to and forms an extension of said open end,spacedapart lugs I4. being cast integral with the frame, and terminatein bearings l5, and a door I6 is pivotally mounted for oscillatorymovement upon a shaft or hinge pin I! supported in the bearings I5.

A hinge bracket I 8 is mounted on the hinge pin I1, and a bearing I9 issecured to the free end thereof by means of bolts 28, said bearingaccommodating a head pin 2I provided on the face of the door, and acotter pin 22 serves to secure the bearing in position, this assemblypermitting the door to rotate about the head pin 2| as it is movedtolocked or unlocked position.

The outer edge of the door I6 is provided with a series of radiallyextending and circumferentially spaced lugs 23 that are shown in thedrawings as lying behind complementarily formed lugs 24 provided on theouter periphery of the door frame I3 when in locked position, and araised stop 25 is provided on the face of the lug 23 and engages theedge of the lugs 24 to limit rotative movement of said door.

The door is locked by alimited rotative movement about the head pin 2 Iand is likewise disengaged by a rotative movement in the oppositedirection to bring the lugs 23 in horizontal alignment with the spaces26 between the lugs 24 so that it is free to swing outwardly on thehinge pin [1, and as clearly shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings.

A circumferential groove 21 is provided in the flange 28 of the doorframe, and a suitable gasket G is seated in said groove to form aleak-proof seal when the door is locked. Diametrically opposed bosses 29are provided on the outer face of the door frame I3 and brackets 30 aresecured thereto by means of bolts 3|.

A fulcrum lever 32 is pivotally connected to the brackets 30 by means ofthe bolts 33, and a roller 34 is journaled on the inner end thereof, theopposite end of said lever being pivotally connected to a piston rod 35provided with a piston (not shown) and which is reciprocatingly mounted.in a hydraulic cylinder 36, said cylinder being hingedly connected to abracket 31 which is in turn secured to the outer face of the door frame,said cylinder being connected to any suitable source of power.

Lock doors 38 are secured to the face of the door It in any approvedmanner, and an open socket 39 is provided in each door and into whichthe roller 34 projects, the face of the roller hearing against one ofthe side walls of the socket as the piston is actuated to rockthe lever:32" to rotate the door about the head pin 21 and force the door tolocked or unlocked position.

It is necessary that the door l6 be made quite heavy in order towithstand the pressure of the kiln, and its mounting or removal usuallyrequires the use of a hoist or other power device (not shown), and Itherefore weld U-bolts to the face of the door to facilitate thehandling thereof.

Raised lugs M are also provided on the face of the door in opposedrelation, and threaded bolts 42. are provided in the legs of the bracketfor engagement with the opposite sides of the lugs 4| when the door islocked, thus holding the door against rotation with relation to theframe, and

any minor adjustments can be made by tightening one bolt while looseningthe other;

Steam in introduced into the kiln through the intake 44 andan. outletnipple 45 is provided on the opposite end to facilitate discharge whendesired.

In practice, and with the door in open position, I

loads of freshly molded blocks or articles are rolled into the kiln; thedoor I 6 is then swung to closed position, after which it is revolved onthe head pin 2| to bring the lugs 23 into register with the spaces orpassages 26. It is then forced inwardly against the gasket G, and when apressure medium is admitted to one of the cylinders 36, it will rock thefulcrum lever 32 about its pivot point 33, so that the roller 34 willengage a side wall of the socket 39-and rotate the door to bring thelugs 23 back of the lugs 24 provided on the flange of the door frame,thus tightly lockin and sealing it against any steam leakage.

When the doors are locked, steam at a temperature of approximately 350degrees F. is then admitted to the kiln, and after a predeterminedlength of time the steam is out off, the product gradually cooledandpressure cut oif, so that the cured product can be removed.

The door'is then opened by admitting a hydraulic agent against thepiston in the opposite cylinder 36, thus rotating thedoor lugs intoregister with the passages 26 and permitting it to be swung to openposition.

From the'foregoing description, it will be obvious that I have perfecteda very simple, practical and eflicient steam kiln and door sealing meanswhich can be automatically actuated so that maximum. production isassured with a minimum of expense and labor.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a kiln body having a door frame, a door forming aclosure for said frame, a main bracket hingedly connected to said framewith the free end overhanging said door and provided with a bracket onwhich the door is revolvably mounted, diametrically opposed bracketsmounted on the outer edge of the door frame and projecting beyond theouter periphery thereof, a fulcrum lever pivotally mounted on each ofsaid brackets at a point intermediate their length, radially projectinglock brackets on said door and projecting beyond the outer edge thereof,each lock bracket being formed with an open socket, a roller journaledon the inner ends of said fucrum levers and engageable in said sockets,radially extending circumferential lugs provided on the outer edge ofthe door, and complementary, inwardly extending lugs provided on theinner edge of the door frame, the lugs on the door being disposed behindthe lugs on the door frame when the cover is in locked position, andhydraulically actuated means connected to the outer end of the fulcrumlevers and to said door frame for rotating said cover to force it tolocked position.v

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which the main bracket isforked, outwardly projecting lugs on the face of the door, and manuallyadjustable means mounted on the individual forks of the bracket andengageable with the opposite faces of one of the lugs forcircumferentially adjusting said door.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which raised stops are providedon the radially extending door lugs for engagement with the lugs on thedoor frame to limit circumferential movement of said dooron said frame.

CLARENCE E. AHLBORN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Johnson Sept. 6, 1949

